Why the Charlie’s Angels movies are certified camp classics

They’re not exactly looked back upon fondly by critics, but the Charlie’s Angels movies were a big success back in the early naughties.

Starring Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore, the 2000 film and its 2003 sequel, Full Throttle, earned over $500 million in total at the global box office, and cemented all three of its leading actresses as A-list movie stars. Based on the 70s TV series of the same name, the movies offered a seriously camp take on the female-driven action genre that only worked thanks to the undeniable chemistry between Drew, Lucy and Cameron.

Neither film takes itself seriously, and while Full Throttle ended up being panned by critics for going, ahem, full throttle with its relentlessly campy vibe, there’s no denying how joyous it was to three women kicking ass, making us laugh and more importantly, sitting at the top of the Box Office at a time when women in cinema were more love interest than leading lady.

In fact, the second film was essentially one long music video jam-packed full of costume changes, hair flips and one of the most ridiculous fight scenes ever seen in cinema – and we f**king loved every second. Basically, it was every gay man’s wet dream.

With news that Cameron Diaz has retured from acting for good, here’s a look back at why Charlie’s Angels deserves a place in cinema history: 

While Bond was obsessed with bedding women – they had zero time for men until the job was done:

   

Hair flips in film didn’t exist until this: 

 

They invented the Pussycat Dolls:

 

…and costume changes: 

 

 

The end credits were literally a music video – because why the f**k not?

 

 

We challenge you to name a film series in the history of cinema with a campier opening: 

 

And we were blessed with the most ridiculous, far-fetched and down-right ludicrous action scene ever made – and this is only half of it:

 

Oh and while we’re at it, they revived 90s movie icon Demi Moore’s career too: 

For those unaware, there’s a reboot directed by Elizabeth Banks due out in 2019 – so get ready for Angels mania to hit all over again.